Cell Phones Behind the Wheel

Using cell phones while driving: it's a trend that's becoming more and more common, but troopers say it's also causing more accidents.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is spending Wednesday and Thursday discussing driver distractions with the government.

The meeting is expected to bring about more support towards laws banning the use of mobile devices when behind the wheel.

There are currently no state-wide laws in West Virginia or Ohio that ban cell phone use when driving, but troopers say it's better to be safe than sorry.

"Safety is the number one thing. Pull up to a berm or pull up to a safe area, make the phone call or send the text message if it's absolutely necessary and it can't wait until you reach your destination," Sgt. David Garber with the Ohio State Highway Patrol said.

The government says nearly 6,000 deaths and half a million injuries were caused last year by driver distractions.

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